Christ Church West Chester: Recent Episodes
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On Sunday, January 26, 2025, Dr. Michael Lawrence will preach during Christ Church West Chester’s Sunday morning worship service and deliver the lecture, “Conversion: How God Creates a People” at CCWC’s Sunday Night Theology. Dr. Lawrence will also stay and serve as the main preacher at the annual Philadelphia Pastor’s Collective (PPC) One-Day Gathering on Monday, January 27, 2025. You can find details for each of these three times below. Additional questions can be sent to info@christchurchwc.org.
Michael Lawrence (PhD, University of Cambridge; MDiv, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; BA, Duke University) is the lead pastor of Hinson Baptist Church in Portland, Oregon and is a Council member of The Gospel Coalition. He is the author of several books, including Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church: A guide for ministry, Conversion: How God Creates a People, Ezekiel: A 12 week study (Knowing the Bible), and with Mark Dever, It is Well: Expositions on Substitutionary Atonement. He and his wife, Adrienne, have five children.
Sunday Service of Corporate Worship: Dr. Lawrence will preach from The Song of Solomon 1:1-2:7 during CCWC’s 10 AM service of corporate worship on January 26, 2025. Childcare is provided.
Sunday Night Theology: How is a person saved? When is a person saved? What happens when a person is saved? How do we know if a person is saved? What do we do when a person is saved? These are some of the most basic theological questions in the Christian faith, and yet confusion often abounds about how a person is brought from spiritual death to life in Christ. On Sunday, January 26, 2025, Dr. Michael Lawrence will give a lecture titled, “Conversion: How God Creates a People” at CCWC’s Sunday Night Theology. In this lecture, based on his book Conversion, Lawrence will teach on how God remakes human beings in Christ with the aim of providing clarity on this doctrine for more faithful evangelism, discipleship, and the practice of church membership. This event is free and open to all. Childcare is provided.
PPC One-Day Gathering: On Monday, January 27, 2025, Dr. Lawrence will preach at the annual one-day conference of the Philadelphia Pastors’ Collective, alongside Dr. Deepak Reju (Ogletown Baptist Church) and Dr. Raymond Johnson (Christ Church West Chester). This year we will focus our study on the book of James. There will also be prayer, singing, and fellowship around a meal. Admission to this conference is free and lunch is provided. Both staff and lay elders are welcome to join us. More information including the day’s schedule will come to those who sign up closer to the event date. You can register for the gathering here.
When we describe church as the family of God, what we have in mind is a rosy holiday photo, yet too often what we get is more like shouting matches over who used up the hot water. Churches are full of differences, and differences can be difficult. They could be differences of personality or background, of opinion over political and social issues, or of preference about what church should be like. Yet unity in Christ, despite all these differences, is key to how a church shows off the glory of Christ, because easy love rarely shows off gospel power. So how can Christians navigate those relationships? How can they build genuine friendships that bridge across all the differences? Can they really love people at church who sometimes drive them crazy?
On Sunday, November 24, 2024, at 5 PM, Jamie Dunlop, will give the talk, “Love the Ones Who Drive You Crazy: Gospel Tools for Pursuing Unity at Church” at Sunday Night Theology based on his latest book, Love the Ones Who Drive You Crazy: Eight Truths for Pursuing Unity in Your Church. This SNT talk will examine wisdom from the closing chapters of the book of Romans—written to churches like ours that were full of differences—to examine practical gospel tools for loving people at church who, if we’re honest, sometimes drive us crazy. A Q&A will follow the lecture. This event is free and open to all. Childcare is provided
Dunlop will also preach from Malachi 3:13-4:6 during CCWC’s 10 AM service of corporate worship.
Jamie Dunlop serves as an associate pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. He is the coauthor (with Mark Dever) of The Compelling Community and author of Budgeting for a Healthy Church. Jamie and his wife Joan have three school-aged children and live on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.
There are two common, opposite errors many make in the midst of the conversation around abuse. The first error being the dismissal of the seriousness of abuse by addressing it like any other sin and the other is considering all relational sin abusive. On Sunday, October 27, 2024, at 5PM, Dr. Jeremy Pierre, will seek to address these errors as he gives the lecture, “When Home Hurts: Trying to Be Biblically Grounded in the Abuse Conversation” at CCWC’s Sunday Night Theology. This lecture will be based on his recent book, co-authored by Greg Wilson titled, “When Home Hurts: A Guide for Responding Wisely to Domestic Abuse in Your Church.” This talk will provide a theologically grounded definition of abuse that seeks to display the heart of God with a hope to provide a framework for protecting real victims of abuse and to represent the heart of our Lord to them. This event is free and open to all. Childcare is provided.
Dr. Pierre will also preach from Romans 12:1-2 at CCWC’s 10AM worship service on October 27th.
Dr. Jeremy Pierre is the dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism, and Ministry at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) in Louisville, Kentucky. He is also the Lawrence and Charlotte Hoover Professor of Biblical Counseling at SBTS and serves on the board of directors for the Biblical Counseling Coalition. Aside from “When Home Hurts,” he is the author of The Dynamic Heart in Daily Life (2016), The Pastor and Counseling (2015), and the children’s storybook Bible, God With Us: A Journey Home, along with numerous articles. His writings have been featured in Tabletalk Magazine, 9Marks Journal, Baptist Press, and The Gospel Coalition. Him and his wife Sarah are members at Clifton Baptist Church where he serves as an elder. Jeremy and Sarah have five children.
We are excited to announce the Autumn 2024 schedules for three major elements of our church’s discipleship structure: Sunday morning and evening sermons and Verse by Verse. Our hope is that you would use these schedules to read over and study the texts to be preached and taught, pray for the preachers and teachers, and invite others to join us for these events.
You can find all of our sermons HERE.
You can find more information about Verse by Verse HERE.
On Sunday, September 29, 2024, by Dr. Vern Poythress will give the lecture, “Biblical Typology: How the Old Testament Points to Christ, His Church, and the Consummation” at Christ Church West Chester’s Sunday Night Theology. This lecture will define what a biblical type is and teach us how we detect and interpret types in the Bible. Jesus himself teaches that the Old Testament is all about him (Luke 24:44-49), therefore, a combination of biblical principles and examples is necessary to guide you in seeing the richness of the presence of Christ in the Old Testament without reading in arbitrary meanings. A Q&A will follow the lecture. This event is free and open to all. Childcare is provided.
Dr. Vern Poythress is a distinguished professor of New Testament, Interpretation, and Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Glenside, PA where he has taught since 1976. He is the author of many books including Chance and the Sovereignty of God, In the Beginning Was the Word, The Shadow of Christ in the Law of Moses, God-Centered Biblical Interpretation, and more. Dr. Poythress and his wife Diane live in Glenside, PA. They have two adult children.
The Gospels contain many familiar stories, including the death and resurrection of Jesus. But what about the rest of Jesus’s life? How are we to understand the work of Christ in portions of the Gospels prior to the cross?
On Sunday, August 25, 2024, at 5pm, Dr. Brandon Crowe will give the lecture, “The Gospel in the Gospels” at CCWC’s Sunday Night Theology. In this lecture we’ll look at the representative obedience of Christ in the Gospels, with particular focus on Christ as the new Adam. This is an important lens that helps us understand the obedience of Jesus in the Gospels is saving obedience. This event is free and open to all. Childcare will be provided.
Dr. Crowe will also preach from Mark 3:20-35 at CCWC’s 10 AM worship service.
Dr. Brandon Crowe is a professor of New Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary in Glenside, PA and book review editor for the Westminster Theological Journal. He is the author of “The Message of the General Epistles in the History of Redemption: Wisdom from James, Peter, John, and Jude,” “The Hope of Israel: The Resurrection of Christ in the Acts of the Apostles,” “Every Day Matters: A Biblical Approach to Productivity,” and “The Last Adam: A Theology of the Obedient Life of Jesus in the Gospels.”
On Sunday, July 28, 2024, at 5PM, Dr. Keith Plummer, dean of the School of Divinity at Cairn University in Langhorne, PA, will give a lecture titled, “Technology and Christian Discipleship” at CCWC’s Sunday Night Theology. This lecture will seek to explain what technology is, how it fits within the biblical story of creation, fall, and redemption, and whether technology is simply a neutral tool as is often assumed to be the case. Drawing on the insights of media ecology, the lecture will examine the inevitability of technologies’ formative effects on their users (e.g., the psychological, social, and intellectual effects of immersive digital technology). The goal of this lecture is to help Christians engage and employ digital technology with wisdom and will conclude with a Q&A. This event is free and open to all. Childcare is provided.
Dr. Plummer will also preach from Matthew 22:34-30 and Romans 13:8-10 during CCWC’s 10 AM worship service.
Dr. Keith Plummer is the dean of the School of Divinity and professor of theology at Cairn University in Langhorne, PA. Along with the course Technology & Christian Discipleship, Plummer also teaches a variety of courses including Apologetics and Introduction to Christian Theology. Before beginning at Cairn 10 years ago, Dr. Plummer served as associate pastor at Our Saviour Evangelical Free Church in Wheeling, IL for 18 years where his primary responsibilities were adult education and pastoral counseling. Plummer is a fellow of the Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics and has also contributed to two recent books, Before You Lose Your Faith: Deconstructing Doubt in the Churchand The Digital Public Square: Christian Ethics in a Technological Society.He and his wife have two adult children.
“A pastor’s life should be a picture of the life of Christ for the sheep in “God’s flock.” He should be an example of humility, self-sacrifice, love for God, passion in congregational worship, generosity, devotion to family, and, most of all, obedience to Jesus in all things. A pastor’s life is to match his message, a message he has learned to preach and live by studying the gospel and the life of Jesus Christ. So I ask: are you willing to pastor?”
Dr. Raymond Johnson, Senior Pastor of Christ Church West Chester, recently wrote an article for the latest 9Marks Church Matters Journal titled, “You Aspire, But Are You Willing?”. This article focuses on the standards for pastors in the local church according to 1 Peter 5:2-3 and the questions one should ask themselves before pursuing the calling to pastoral ministry.
Though this article is written particularly for men aspiring to pastoral ministry as the journal it’s included in is focused on seasons in a pastor’s life, both the article and the journal as a whole contain widespread application for any member of a local church.
You can find Pastor Raymond’s article here. Take a few minutes to read it this week!
The modern world is a treadmill demanding ever more productivity in ever less time. Smartphones, email, and constant connection mean that many of us are never truly away from work, even when we should be off of work. These and other trends make it harder for us to care for others: to notice their needs, care about their needs, and slow down enough to treat them as whole persons. What does it mean to care well for others? How can learning to care transform not only your relationships but your attitudes toward work, rest, and fulfillment? Dr. Bobby Jamieson will answer these questions and more when he delivers the lecture, “Care: Escaping the Productivity Trap and Learning to Nurture ” at CCWC’s Sunday Night Theology (SNT) on Sunday, June 30, 2024, at 5 PM. A Q&A will follow the lecture. Jamieson will also preach from Revelation 21:1-22:5 during CCWC’s 10 AM worship service. These times are free and open to all. Childcare is provided for both the morning service and SNT lecture.
Dr. Bobby Jamieson currently serves as an associate pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington D.C.; however, he will be transitioning to Pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, a new church plant in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, this Summer. He is the author of several books, including Everything Is Never Enough: Happiness According to Ecclesiastes (forthcoming), Biblical Reasoning: Christological and Trinitarian Rules for Exegesis, Sound Doctrine: How a Church Grows in the Love and Holiness of God, Jesus’ Death and Heavenly Offering in Hebrews, The Paradox of Sonship: Christology in The Epistle to the Hebrews, and The Path to Being a Pastor: A Guide for the Aspiring. Him and his wife, Kristin, reside in D.C. with their four children, Rose, Lucy, William, and Margaret.
We are excited to announce the Summer 2024 schedules for three major elements of our church’s discipleship structure: Sunday morning and evening sermons and Verse by Verse. Our hope is that you would use these schedules to read over and study the texts to be preached and taught, pray for the preachers and teachers, and invite others to join us for these events.
You can find all of our sermons HERE.
You can find more information about Verse by Verse HERE.
Being human with finite bodies is bewildering. We are pulled toward glee and gloom at the same time. Embodied life is great because it only lasts for so long, but it only lasts for so long…and thus we worry that time is always running out. On top of this, we are confronted with the reality that our bodies just aren’t what we want them to be most of the time. Living isn’t easy. What if it didn’t have to be so challenging? What if there were solutions to death, disease, disability, and unfairness available in this life? Transhumanists envision a day when all this could be ours, if we only have the will to do what is necessary to grasp it. Everything from cutting edge medications, to technology implanted in our bodies, to the use of robots for all manner of activities (including sex) might be on the horizon, with the promise of a better world. How should we understand such claims? How might the Christian tradition appreciate, subvert, and better these claims?
On Sunday, May 26, 2024, Dr. Jeremy Meeks will give the lecture, “The Complicated Beauty of Being Born This Way: The Promise and Peril of Transhumanism and the Difference Christianity Makes” at CCWC’s Sunday Night Theology. This talk will show how Christianity provides a way to embrace the complicated beauty of existing in finite bodies in a broken world, no matter what kind of bodies we have. This event is free and open to all. Childcare is provided.
Dr. Meeks will also preach from Ezekiel 10:1-22 during CCWC’s 10 AM worship service.
Dr. Jeremy Meeks is the Director and Lead Instructor of The Charles Simeon Trust’s (CST) Chicago Course on Preaching in Chicago, IL and instructs at CST Workshops around the world. He is also the Resident Pastor for Ministry Apprenticeships at Christ Church Chicago. Meeks recently completed his PhD in Theological Ethics at the University of Aberdeen. Him and his wife, Marjorie, who serves as the associate director of Women’s Workshops for CST, reside in Chicago with their children.
On Sunday, April 14, 2024, the members of Christ Church West Chester (CCWC) voted to appoint Rodney Evans as an elder to serve in the role of associate pastor of CCWC.
Originally from Mechanicsville, Virginia, Rodney attended Yale University from 2010-2014 where he studied politics and philosophy with the aim to pursue a legal career. A few years after graduation, Rodney moved to Washington D.C. in order to work on Capitol Hill and became a member of Capitol Hill Baptist Church (CHBC). During his time at CHBC, Rodney realized his desire to pursue ministry instead of law, completed CHBC’s Pastoral Internship in the Spring of 2020, and met his future wife, Mary. In the Summer of 2020, Rodney began working toward his Master of Divinity at Westminster Theological Seminary in Glenside, PA which led him to move to West Chester, PA in the Fall of 2021 to continue working on his degree on campus. Shortly after moving to West Chester, Rodney became a member of CCWC. He married his wife Mary in July of 2022 and they welcomed their daughter Emma into the world this past September. Throughout 2023, Rodney served CCWC as a Pastoral Assistant where he began to feel more drawn to pastoral ministry, specifically at CCWC. Rodney will begin elder responsibilities now, however, he will not begin formal office hours at CCWC until May 20, 2024, after the close of his semester.
This is a historic moment in the life of our church, one which has been over five years in the making since we re-particularized as a congregation. We have been blessed to see elders raised up to pastor, deacons raised up to serve, many members added to our body, and people turn to Christ in repentance and faith through the preaching of the Word of God. It is our prayer that Rodney serves faithfully and that we may continue to glorify the name of Christ in our community, by the edification of his church. Please join us in praising God for this new addition to the CCWC staff and in praying for the Evans family as they make this transition.
Most every Christian knows and affirms the mission of the church found in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), especially to those language groups that have never heard the Gospel message. What is often lacking, though, is the tangible knowledge for how that task is to be accomplished. Who is meant to go? Do we even need “goers” in this day and age? What about those who stay? In the times we find ourselves in, there are few topics that evoke more nebulousness than missions. If the people of God are to be about the mission that he left them, we must know the goal and how it is to be carried out. Brooks Buser, President of Radius International in San Diego, CA, will answer the above questions and more when he delivers the lecture, “Gospel Clarity and Partnership for the Sake of the Nations” at CCWC’s Sunday Night Theology (SNT) on April 28, 2024, at 5 PM. This lecture will focus on Biblically informed missiology and its relevance for taking the Gospel to the nations through the establishment of local churches. A Q&A will follow the lecture. Buser will also preach from Matthew 28:16-20 at CCWC’s 10 AM worship service. These times are free and open to all. Childcare is provided for both the morning service and SNT lecture._Feeling led to church planting, Brooks Buser and his wife Nina, along with their 3-year-old son, moved to Papua New Guinea in 2003 to live among the Yembiyembi people. They became fluent in the language of the Yembiyembi, developed an alphabet, taught the Yembiyembi to read and write in their own language, translated the scriptures, and saw the Yembiyembi church born and brought to maturity. They returned to the U.S. in 2016 and began work at Radius International, a 9-month missionary training program. Brooks currently serves as President of Radius and Nina as the Hospitality Coordinator. They also both teach and co-teach various classes including Introduction to Bible Translation, Co-worker relations, and Missionary Finances.
People all over the country are drawn to Christian nationalism on the right, and critical theory on the left. As they assess their national identity, they often run to the extreme of national nostalgia or national cynicism. When thinking about America and the church, is there a way forward when it comes to assessing our history as a people?
On Sunday, March 17, 2024, at 5 PM, Dr. John Wilsey will deliver the lecture, “To Think Christianly, Think Virtuously” at CCWC’s Sunday Night Theology. This talk will aim to exemplify how the people of God can demonstrate their Christian faith when thinking about history and national identity by employing the theological and classical virtues–faith, hope, charity, temperance, wisdom, courage, and justice. Doing so is fully consistent with Galatians 5:22-23 and Philippians 4:8. This event is free and open to all. Childcare will be provided.
Dr. Wilsey will also preach from John 19:19-22 at CCWC’s 10 AM worship service.
Dr. John Wilsey is the Chair of the Church History Department and Associate Professor of Church History and Philosophy at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. He also serves as an elder at Kenwood Baptist Church. He is the author of several books and articles including One Nation Under God?: An Evangelical Critique of Christian America and American Exceptionalism and Civil Religion: Reassessing the History of an Idea. He is married to Mandy, and they have two children.
On February 11, 2024, the elders of Christ Church West Chester recommended at the members’ meeting Rodney Evans for Associate Pastor of Christ Church West Chester (CCWC). Over the past year, the Lord has made it clear to the elders that Rodney (and his wife, Mary) not only have a profound love for CCWC, but also that he is uniquely qualified to step into the role of associate pastor at Christ Church. Rodney is excited about the focus of this pastorate: member care, counseling, discipleship, teaching, and meaningful leadership among both the elders and membership.
The timeline in terms of congregational action regarding Rodney’s recommendation to the role of associate pastor is:
- February 11: Recommendation of Associate Pastor of CCWC
- March 10: Church-Wide Q&A Following the Evening Service
- April 14: Congregational Vote
- May 20: Lord Willing, First Day as CCWC Associate Pastor
This recommendation is exciting news in the life of CCWC and is literally an answer to years of congregational prayer. Please continue to pray for us during this season of discernment as the membership considers this recommendation.
On Sunday, February 25, 2024, at 5 PM, Dr. Andy Naselli will give a lecture entitled, “Conscience: What It Is, How to Train It, and Loving Those Who Differ” at Christ Church West Chester. This talk addresses three related questions: (1) What exactly is your conscience according to the New Testament? (2) How should you deal with your own conscience? Specifically, what should you do when your conscience condemns you, and how should you calibrate your conscience? (3) How should you relate to other people when your consciences disagree? This applies not only to your family and friends and church but also to people in other cultures. Attendance is free and open to all. Come starting at 4:45 for an a cappella hymn sing.
Dr. Naselli will also preach from Proverbs 3:1-8 during CCWC’s 10 AM worship service.
Dr. Andy Naselli serves as a professor of systematic theology and New Testament at Bethlehem College and Seminary in Minneapolis, MN. He also serves as a pastor at The North Church in Mounds View, MN. He is the author of multiple books including co-authoring “Conscience: What It Is, How to Train It, and Loving Those Who Differ” as well as “How Can I Love Church Members with Different Politics.” Him and his wife Jenni live in Minnesota with their four daughters.
The songs of Christmas are some of the most beloved and most well-known music in our culture. Join the musicians of Christ Church West Chester for a night of music celebrating the mystery of Emmanuel, God with us. This event is first and foremost focused on singing together, not performance. We would love everyone to come out to sing with us, not hear us sing! The music will include both timeless hymns by writers like Charles Wesley and Isaac Watts and also more contemporary songs by Sovereign Grace Music, Keith & Kyrstin Getty, Andrew Peterson, and more. We invite you not only to come and enjoy the music but also to sing along and join us in proclaiming the glory of our God. Emmanuel will take place on Sunday, December 3rd at 5:00 pm. The event is free, and childcare will be provided.
On Sunday, January 28, 2024, Dr. Juan Sanchez will visit Christ Church West Chester to preach at the morning service and deliver a lecture as part of the church’s Sunday Night Theology lecture Series.
What does the book of Revelation have to say about potential dangers that might face local churches? The seven letters in the opening chapters of the book contain enduring warnings the church must heed today. Dr. Sanchez will demonstrate this in a lecture titled “Seven Dangers Facing Your Church” which will discuss how these seven letters inform congregations of the ways the enemy attacks the bride of Christ. Dr. Sanchez serves as senior pastor of High Pointe Baptist Church in Austin, Texas. He holds an MDiv, ThM, and PhD in systematic theology from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Christ Church West Chester’s Sunday morning service is at 10am and Dr. Sanchez’s Sunday Night Theology lecture will begin at 5pm. Come at 4:45pm for an a capella hymn sing.
On Monday, January 29, 2024, Dr. Sanchez will also preach and teach at the annual one-day conference of the Philadelphia Pastors’ Collective, focusing on how believers are to live lives of obedience and holiness as strangers and exiles through a study of the book of 1 Peter. Admission to this conference is free. Due to space limitations, however, registrations are open to staff pastors only. To register, please fill out your information here.
The good news of Jesus includes his life, death, resurrection, and future return—but what about his ascension? Though often neglected or misunderstood, the ascension is integral to the gospel. This talk will argue that Jesus’ work would be incomplete without his ascent to God’s right hand. Not only a key moment in the gospel story, Jesus’ ascension was necessary for his present ministry in and through the church. Additionally, Jesus’ residence in heaven marks a turning point in his three-fold offices of prophet, priest, and king. As prophet, Jesus builds the church and its witness. As priest, he intercedes before the Father. As king, he rules over all. A full appreciation of the ascension is essential for understanding the Bible, Christian doctrine, and Christ’s ongoing work in the world. This SNT will be taught on Sunday, November 26, 2023, by Dr. Patrick Schreiner, Acting Director of the Residency PhD program and Associate Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, MO. All are welcome. Come starting at 4:45pm for an a capella hymn sing.
In 1904, Dutch theologian Herman Bavinck published two texts that sought to establish the importance of a Christian worldview for the modern world: Christian Worldview and Christianity and Science. This lecture will explore the relationship between the two works and the ways in which Bavinck described the process of developing a worldview, and how this worldview ought to impact Christian engagement in the various fields of the university. This SNT will be taught on Sunday, October 29, 2023 at 5pm, by Dr. N. Gray Sutanto, Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Washington D.C. All are welcome. Come starting at 4:45pm for an a capella hymn sing.
It’s hard not to read an article or blog post today in Christian or secular circles that does not mention or allude to our current epidemic of loneliness. The causes and effects of loneliness in our culture are being discussed at length, and as a result, what is noted as the solution is friendship. Unfortunately, our […]
Meet the 2023–2024 Pastoral Intern Class Next week, our next class of pastoral interns will begin their labors here at Christ Church West Chester. Because all three of them are coming from out of town, we encourage you to learn a bit about them from this post, get to know them as they start ministering […]
How should we read the book of Acts and how should our understanding of the book of Acts and the rest of the New Testament inform how we gather together as local churches? How should our beliefs about the local church inform our convictions regarding global missions strategy? Please join us on Sunday, August 27, […]
Join us at 5pm on July 30th for our next Sunday Night Theology lecture of 2023. Dr. Raymond Johnson, Senior Pastor here at CCWC, will give a lecture titled: “The Whole Gospel: Reading the Bible in Light of the Entire Work of Christ.” Although God’s grand plan of redemption climaxes at the cross of Jesus […]
On June 25, 2023, at 5pm, Jospeh Stigora will deliver a lecture on the local church’s role in advocating for life in the Post-Roe era. While the Supreme Court’s recent reversal of Roe v. Wade provided an immense step forward in protecting the rights of the unborn in America, Christians must recognize that the work of the pro-life movement is far from over. How can we engage thoughtfully with our friends and neighbors, many of whom lament the Dobbs decision? What can local churches do to care for vulnerable and abortion-minded women in our communities? How can we as Christians advocate the beauty of the biblical ethic and provide better answers and solutions than simply “Stop it; that’s wrong”? In what ways can we as Protestants join with Catholics in this cause, and what does that responsibility look like for local churches? Joseph Stigora plans to address questions like these in his lecture.
Joseph serves as a pastor at Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, PA.
As we look towards 2023, we are excited to announce the upcoming schedules for two major elements of our church’s discipleship structure: Sunday morning sermons and Verse By Verse. Our hope is that you would use these schedules to read over and study the texts to be preached and taught, pray for the preachers and teachers, and invite others to join us for these events.You can find all of our sermons HERE.
You can find more information about Verse By Verse HERE.
On Sunday, May 28, 2023, at 5pm, Laura C. Andrews will teach a Sunday Night Theology lecture titled, “Come, All You Tired and Trying: God’s Invitation to the Over-Responsible”. In this lecture, she will discuss the disposition of being “over-responsible” and how we can avoid it. Although God has given us clear commands in scripture, it can still be hard to discern the line between faithful service and over-responsibility. Over-responsibility involves laboring under unrelenting pressure todo more with a nagging sense that we can never do enough. This may lead to a host of attending consequences including anxiety, burnout, or resentment toward others, including God. Her lecture will aim to show how much of scripture is actually devoted to helping us uncover and address this unsustainable disposition and teaching us instead to live as needy children, those who find relief and resilience in Jesus’ call to be His stewards.
Laura Andrews has a M.Div. in Counseling from Westminster Theological Seminary and a B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Missouri. She currently works as a biblical counselor in Huntingdon Valley, PA.
Dr. Deepak Reju’s visit to Christ Church West Chester, along with the seminar and SNT lecture he is to teach, has been rescheduled to May 6-7, 2023. This means that we will have only one service this Sunday, April 30, during our normal time of corporate worship.
Please see below our updated schedule for this week and next week:
– Sunday, April 30: Corporate worship service at 10am. No evening service or SNT
– Saturday, May 6: Marriage and Relationships Seminar from 12pm to 5:20pm
– Sunday, May 7: Corporate worship service at 10am, Sunday Night Theology lecture, “Singleness and the Local Church” at 5pm. Come at 4:45pm for an a capella hymn-sing.
On Sunday, April 30, 2023, Dr. Deepak Reju will teach a Sunday Night Theology lecture titled, “Singleness and the Local Church” at Christ Church West Chester. This talk will be a resource for members of the church in all different seasons of life. It will aim to better equip us to do the normal work of church membership—bearing one another’s burdens, spurring one another on to love and good works, and helping one another to follow Christ—with a specific focus on the way in which single brothers and sisters are intimately part of this work. He will preach in the morning service at 10am and will deliver his lecture that evening at 5pm. The event will be free and open to the public.
Dr. Deepak Reju is the pastor of biblical counseling and family ministry at Capitol Hill Baptist Church. He also serves on the board of directors of the Biblical Counseling Coalition and is a trustee for the Christian Counseling and Education Foundation (CCEF).
We are humbled to announce that The Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia has selected Christ Church West Chester to receive a Grand Jury Award for the repair and restoration of our building’s tower. This award is given to recognize and celebrate the highest level of achievement in historic building restoration in the greater Philadelphia area.
In the spring and winter of 2019, Christ Church West Chester undertook a wholesale restoration of our building’s tower, strengthening the structure, repointing the stonework, replacing the broken spires at the top, and repainting all of the wood. This project was made possible by the generous giving of the members of Christ Church West Chester and we remain grateful to God for his gracious provision to our church. This award is the second time Christ Church West Chester has been recognized for the tower restoration project as, just last year, we were awarded the 2022 Bricks and Mortar Preservation Award by the The West Chester Downtown Foundation.
While we are immensely grateful to The Preservation Alliance for this award, we also recognize that both this building and its preservation are gifts from God. Please join us in praying that a faithful and vibrant witness to the Lord Jesus Christ would remain in this historic building for decades and centuries to come!
On Sunday, March 26, 2023, Trevin Wax will teach a Sunday Night Theology lecture titled, “The Enduring Power and Relevance of Christian Orthodoxy” at Christ Church West Chester. In our day and age, the language of “deconstruction” abounds. Challenges to Christian doctrine are launched from the directions of ethics, rationality, personal experience, and from many other areas. What tools are Christians to use to respond and to stay firmly rooted in the faith themselves? Are we to stop our ears to the world or should we change our message or tactics to appeal to those around us? In his lecture, Trevin Wax will demonstrate that the historic, apostolic faith once for all delivered to the saints remains as compelling as ever not only because of its rationality, but because of its beauty. His lecture will therefore be a call to rediscover and re-embrace the thrill of the orthodox faith. He will preach in the morning service at 10am and will deliver his lecture that evening at 5pm. The event will be free and open to the public.
Trevin Wax is the Vice President of Research and Resource Development at the North American Mission Board in Alpharetta, GA.
On Sunday, February 26, 2023, Dr. Robert Plummer will teach a Sunday Night Theology lecture titled, “Essentials of Biblical Interpretation” at Christ Church West Chester. If you are a member of Christ Church West Chester, you are by now well familiar with Pastor Raymond’s promotion of “careful Bible reading.” But how can one become a more careful Bible reader? In his lecture, Dr. Plummer will address this theme and give essential practices and principles for reading and understanding God’s Word. He will preach in the morning service at 10am and will deliver his lecture that evening at 5pm. The event will be free and open to the public.
Dr. Robert L. Plummer is the Collin and Evelyn Aikman Professor of Biblical Studies and Chairman of the New Testament Department at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. He is a scholar in the biblical languages and is widely appreciated for his work on the Daily Dose of Greek website, which helps equip students of Scripture of all levels to dive deeper into the original language of the New Testament.
As we look towards 2023, we are excited to announce the upcoming schedules for two major elements of our church’s discipleship structure: Sunday morning sermons and Verse By Verse. Our hope is that you would use these schedules to read over and study the texts to be preached and taught, pray for the preachers and teachers, and invite others to join us for these events.
You can find all of our sermons HERE.
You can find more information about Verse By Verse HERE.
On Sunday, January 29, 2023, Dr. Mark Dever will give a lecture entitled “Discipling,” based on his book of the same name. What does it look like to help others […]
Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming […]
On Sunday, October 30, 2022, Dr. Carl R. Trueman will give a lecture entitled “The Rise And Triumph Of The Modern Self,” based on his recent book of the same […]
As we look towards the fall months of 2022, we are excited to announce the upcoming schedules for two major elements of our church’s discipleship structure: Sunday morning sermons and […]
On Sunday, September 29, at 5 PM, Dr. Ligon Duncan will give a lecture entitled, “Shellfish, Lamb’s Blood, and the American Government: How Do Christians Relate to the Law?” The […]
We are humbled to announce that The West Chester Downtown Foundation has selected Christ Church West Chester as recipients of a 2022 Bricks and Mortar Preservation Award for the repair […]
On Sunday, August 28, at 5 PM, Dr. Russell Moore will give a lecture entitled, “The Courage to Stand: Facing Your Fear Without Losing Your Soul.” We live in a […]
On Sunday, May 29, 2022, at 5 PM, Dr. Sam A. Andreades will give a lecture entitled, “EnGendered: Understanding Gender from the Bible.” What’s a real man? What makes a […]
On Sunday, April 24, 2022, at 5 PM, Dr. Keith Whitfield will give a lecture entitled, “Islam and North America: Loving Our Muslim Neighbors.” One of the challenges to loving […]
On Sunday, March 27, 2022, at 5 PM, Dr. Todd Stryd will give a lecture entitled, “Mental Health and the Local Church: Answering Four Important Questions.” How do we think […]
We are pleased to announce that David Helm will be an instructor at our next Workshop on Biblical Exposition for men with the Charles Simeon Trust, held on October 19-21, […]
On Sunday, February 27, 2022, at 5 PM, Dr. Matthew Y. Emerson will give a lecture entitled, “He Descended to the Dead: An Evangelical Theology of Holy Saturday.” The descent […]
Pastor Raymond Johnson recent wrote a review of Lead: 12 Gospel Principles for Leadership in the Church by Paul David Tripp, which was featured on the 9Marks Website. Johnson writes, “Healthy […]
We are proud to announce the speaker lineup for our 2022 Sunday Night Theology lecture series. Since its inception, Sunday Night Theology has been focused on helping Christians press into […]
On Sunday, November 28, 2021, at 5 PM, Dr. Dominick Hernández will give a lecture on Just Retribution in Job. Many teachings of the book of Job focus on the […]
On Sunday, October 31, at 5 PM, Dr. Kevin J. Vanhoozer will give a lecture entitled “Biblical Authority After Babel.” The Bible is the foundational document of the church: its […]
Preacher: Dr. J.T. English | Series: Sunday Night Theology | Preacher: Dr. J.T. English | Series: Sunday Night Theology
Bible Text: Colossians 3:21 | Preacher: Dr. Raymond Johnson | Series: Stand Alone Sermons
Bible Text: Deuteronomy | Preacher: Raymond Johnson | Series: Sunday Night Theology | Bible Text: Deuteronomy | Preacher: Raymond Johnson | Series: Sunday Night Theology
Bible Text: 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 | Preacher: Raymond Johnson | Series: 2 Thessalonians
Bible Text: 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 | Preacher: Raymond Johnson | Series: 2 Thessalonians
Bible Text: 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12 | Preacher: Raymond Johnson | Series: 2 Thessalonians
Preacher: Dr. Stan Gale | Series: Sunday Night Theology | Preacher: Stan Gale | Series: Sunday Night Theology
Bible Text: Malachi 3:13-4:3 | Preacher: Raymond Johnson | Series: Malachi: The Love of God - Strong & True
Bible Text: Zechariah 12:1-13:1 | Preacher: Matthew Burns | Series: Stand Alone Sermons
Bible Text: Roman 8:28-31 | Preacher: Dr. Donald S. Whitney | Series: Stand Alone Sermons
Bible Text: Philippians 2:1-11 | Preacher: Raymond Johnson | Series: Stand Alone Sermons
Bible Text: Malachi 3:6-7 | Preacher: Raymond Johnson | Series: Malachi: The Love of God - Strong & True
Bible Text: Malachi 2:13-16 | Preacher: Raymond Johnson | Series: Malachi: The Love of God - Strong & True
Bible Text: Haggai 2:20-23 | Preacher: Adam Tardosky | Series: Haggai: Glory From Ruins
Bible Text: Malachi 2:10-12 | Preacher: Raymond Johnson | Series: Malachi: The Love of God - Strong & True
Bible Text: Malachi 1:2-5 | Preacher: Raymond Johnson | Series: Malachi: The Love of God - Strong & True
Bible Text: Hebrews 13:17 | Preacher: Dr. Raymond Johnson | Series: Stand Alone Sermons
Bible Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 | Preacher: Dr. Raymond Johnson | Series: 1 Thessalonians
Bible Text: Esther 5:1-8, Esther 6:14-7:10 | Preacher: Dr. Raymond Johnson | Series: Esther: God's Silent Sovereignty
Bible Text: Esther 1:1-21 | Preacher: Dr. Raymond Johnson | Series: Esther: God's Silent Sovereignty
Bible Text: John 4:27-45 | Preacher: Dr. Raymond Johnson | Series: Encounters With Jesus
Bible Text: John 4:1-25 | Preacher: Dr. Raymond Johnson | Series: Encounters With Jesus
Preacher: Dr. Praveen Sethupathy, Dr. Richard Middleton | Series: Sunday Night Theology
Bible Text: 1 Corinthians 15:1-58 | Preacher: Dr. Raymond Johnson | Series: The Creation Project: A Study of the Doctrine of Creation
Bible Text: John 2:1-12 | Preacher: Dr. Raymond Johnson | Series: Encounters With Jesus
Bible Text: 1 Timothy 5:17-25 | Preacher: Raymond Johnson | Series: The Household of Faith: Who We Are & What We Do
Bible Text: 1 Timothy 5:1-16 | Preacher: Raymond Johnson | Series: The Household of Faith: Who We Are & What We Do
Bible Text: 1 Timothy 3:8-13 | Preacher: Raymond Johnson | Series: The Household of Faith: Who We Are & What We Do
Bible Text: 1 Peter 5:1-5 | Preacher: Raymond Johnson | Series: The Household of Faith: Who We Are & What We Do
Bible Text: Titus 1:5-6 | Preacher: Raymond Johnson | Series: The Household of Faith: Who We Are & What We Do
Bible Text: 1 Timothy 3:1-7 | Preacher: Raymond Johnson | Series: The Household of Faith: Who We Are & What We Do
Bible Text: 1 Timothy 2:8-15 | Preacher: Raymond Johnson | Series: The Household of Faith: Who We Are & What We Do
Bible Text: Philippians 4:21-23 | Preacher: Dr. Raymond Johnson | Series: Philippians: Confident Christianity
Bible Text: Philippians 3:20-21 | Preacher: Dr. Raymond Johnson | Series: Philippians: Confident Christianity
Bible Text: Philippians 3:12-14 | Preacher: Dr. Raymond Johnson | Series: Philippians: Confident Christianity
Bible Text: Philippians 1:3-6 | Preacher: Dr. Raymond Johnson | Series: Philippians: Confident Christianity
Bible Text: Ruth 1:6-18 | Preacher: Dr. Raymond Johnson | Series: Ruth: God of the Whirlwind
Bible Text: Matthew 7:21-23 | Preacher: Raymond Johnson | Series: The Sermon On The Mount
Bible Text: Psalm 100 | Preacher: Dr. Raymond Johnson | Series: and Spiritual Songs, Hymns, Psalms | Bible Text: Psalm 100 | Preacher: Raymond Johnson | Series: Psalms - Hymns - and Spiritual Songs
Bible Text: Colossians 3:16 | Preacher: Dr. Raymond Johnson | Series: and Spiritual Songs, Hymns, Psalms
Bible Text: Matthew 7:7-11 | Preacher: Dr. Raymond Johnson | Series: The Sermon On The Mount
Bible Text: Matthew 6:12-15 | Preacher: Dr. Raymond Johnson | Series: The Sermon On The Mount
Bible Text: Colossians 3:18 | Preacher: Dr. Raymond Johnson | Series: The Supremacy of Christ in Colossians
Bible Text: Colossians 3:12-17 | Preacher: Dr. Raymond Johnson | Series: The Supremacy of Christ in Colossians
Bible Text: Colossians 3:5-11 | Preacher: Dr. Raymond Johnson | Series: The Supremacy of Christ in Colossians
Bible Text: Colossians 2:6-15 | Preacher: Dr. Raymond Johnson | Series: The Supremacy of Christ in Colossians
Bible Text: Colossians 1:1-2 | Preacher: Raymond Johnson | Series: The Supremacy of Christ in Colossians